


The Moon at Apogee

by sequence_fairy



Category: Bleach
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-25
Updated: 2017-09-25
Packaged: 2019-01-05 04:16:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12182718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sequence_fairy/pseuds/sequence_fairy
Summary: At the outskirts of it’s orbit, the moon’s pull on our earth is weaker.





	The Moon at Apogee

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [ichirukimonth](http://ichirukimonth.tumblr.com). Prompt was 'back to the very beginning'.

This is not at all how Ichigo had imagined this particular night would end. If someone had told him this morning, that he would have been drawn on and at by a midget death goddess and then attacked by a giant monster in his house, he’d have suggested they see a professional about their delusions, and Ichigo sees and talks to ghosts on a regular basis.

But, well, he’s here now, and his father’s blood is on his hands and his sisters are probably going to die, and the obnoxious, bunny-obsessed and artistically challenged  _shinigami_  has just offered him a high-stakes, last resort chance to save his family.

“Give me the sword,  _shinigami_.” Ichigo can hardly believe the words he is saying, but Yuzu’s voice rings in his ears and his mouth moves without his consent.

“Not  _shinigami_ ,” she says, and looks up at him, and there’s power in the depths of those violet eyes. Drops of blood stand out scarlet against her moon-pale skin. “I am Kuchiki Rukia.”

“Kurosaki Ichigo,” Ichigo answers, resisting the sudden and inane impulse to stick out his hand for her to shake. “Let’s hope this meeting won’t be our last.” He regrets the quip as soon as it is out of his mouth. Behind them, the hollow roars, and beneath the weight of its steps, the ground trembles.

Rukia lifts the sword, but her arms shake and the blade wavers. Ichigo reaches forward, and wraps his hands around hers. The skin-on-skin contact sends a bolt of electricity through them both, and their eyes meet.

Ichigo’s awareness narrows sharply until all that remains is the feel of their joined hands and all he can see are her eyes looking back at him. There is no sound but Rukia’s laboured breathing and his own heartbeat rings loud in his ears. It seems as though the space between each heartbeat is a small eternity in milliseconds, and the length of an inhale lasts eons and mere moments.

The hollow screams and the sound shatters the moment. Rukia’s face smoothes into an impassive mask, and she closes her eyes. Ichigo feels the air pressure increase, and his knees waver as invisible weight lands on his shoulders. The point of her blade prods at his chest but does not push through the layers of clothing. Rukia’s brow furrows.

Ichigo grits his teeth and  _pulls_.

The immediate sensation is pain, and then, from the center of his chest, radiating out, utterly frigid cold. Ichigo cannot breathe. There is no air, only the frozen void, entropy made steel and shoved through his chest.

Ichigo looks down, but the sword is gone, and Rukia is sprawled on the ground, her black robes fading to white as he watches. He tries to call her name, to ask if this is how it’s supposed to feel, to ask her if she’s sure she did this right, to ask her if she’ll tell his sisters and his dad–

The world disappears in a blast of blinding light.


End file.
